what should i expect?

[dinkime]

my friends have asked me to be a Godparent/sponsor for their baby boy. he is going to be dedicated at a Baptist church. i am Lutheran, so i do not know what to expect at a dedication service...thanks for any insight!

[arunma]

You have me at a loss. I had no idea that any Baptist church asked parents to find godparents for their children who are being dedicated. My church doesn't do this. Neither does the church that I attend when I'm visiting my parents at home (which is also Baptist).

I can tell you what happens during a dedication service at my church. The parents stand before the congregation with their children. The pastor comes to each individual infant, and recites a few words, thus dedicating the child to God. Afterwards, there is a corporate prayer for all of the children. The ceremony isn't all that formal. But then, the church you'll be going to obviously has some different practices. So I'm not sure that what I've said will be very helpful.

[mont974x4]

You have me at a loss. I had no idea that any Baptist church asked parents to find godparents for their children who are being dedicated. My church doesn't do this. Neither does the church that I attend when I'm visiting my parents at home (which is also Baptist).

I can tell you what happens during a dedication service at my church. The parents stand before the congregation with their children. The pastor comes to each individual infant, and recites a few words, thus dedicating the child to God. Afterwards, there is a corporate prayer for all of the children. The ceremony isn't all that formal. But then, the church you'll be going to obviously has some different practices. So I'm not sure that what I've said will be very helpful.



That is pretty much what I have seen every time I have seen a dedication...regardless of denomination.

[arunma]

That is pretty much what I have seen every time I have seen a dedication...regardless of denomination.

Well, I hope that our friend Dinkime will come back after the dedication service and describe it to us. I've honestly never heard of the practice of Baptists having godparents at a dedication service. Credobaptism is, more or less, the one issue that all Baptists can agree upon, so I would have thought that of all things, the dedication service would be standardized.

[rainbowpromise]

I have seen a dedication service, but I rather suspect that each one would be different.

The one I saw, the parents brought the baby forward. It was a little like a wedding. "Do you the parents of ______ promise to raise him/her to love and serve God?" Verses about training children in the Scripture (like Timothy) are read. The family, friends and congregation are asked if they will support the family in this. Prayer for all and then fellowship.

[mont974x4]

I would ask them what to expect, well, mainly if anything is expected of you. Sometimes the godparent holds the baby and says a prayer but most often it's just to stand there and recognized as the godparent.

Hmmm I wonder what people think godparents are supposed to do in general, as opposed to this ceremony? If they are too be ready to raise the child if something happens to the birth parents then it would make sense that the godparent share in the ceremony..basically as a sign that they agree with the parents to help raise the child in a godly manner and to continue what the parents start should they die.


Just thinking out loud. I haven't dedicated any of my 4 sons in an official ceremony or appointed godparents. I pray for them often and have the legal documents handled.

[Argent]

I never saw a "baby dedication" in the SBC church I grew up in. I had never even heard of it until I moved to NYC, and then I thought it was an Afican-American church practice. Then, they did it one Sunday in my Baptist church here.

It is very informal, and is at the end of the service. It's pretty much as has been described here. Although, I don't think it has ever invloved god-parents. I thought that was only a "high-church" thing?

[Abbadon]

Well, the preacher gets up on the alter with a chicken and a knife, the congregation chants, and then we dance around a bonfire.

(j/k)

It'll probably be something like the preacher getting up there, he'll announce to the congregation "these people had a kid, the kid's name is (name), who's going to pray for them?" And then the congregation says "I will" and there may be food. I've not seen godparents involved before.

Baptists aren't really that organized.

[dinkime]

thanks for the information....all i know is she asked me to be Godmother because i am the most religious of our friends, lol....as of right now, she does not attend church, but she is looking for one -- she likes a non-denominational christian church by her, but she was raised baptist & her parents attend a baptist church (also near her), so she is undecided as to where to go...

[arunma]

thanks for the information....all i know is she asked me to be Godmother because i am the most religious of our friends, lol....as of right now, she does not attend church, but she is looking for one -- she likes a non-denominational christian church by her, but she was raised baptist & her parents attend a baptist church (also near her), so she is undecided as to where to go...

Oh I see. Perhaps she does not know that Baptists don't require godparents at child dedications?

[dinkime]

i do not know...i guess as she finds out, i will find out, lol

[JPPT1974]

Yeah when she finds out watch out!:eek:

[mont974x4]

Well, the preacher gets up on the alter with a chicken and a knife, the congregation chants, and then we dance around a bonfire.

(j/k)

It'll probably be something like the preacher getting up there, he'll announce to the congregation "these people had a kid, the kid's name is (name), who's going to pray for them?" And then the congregation says "I will" and there may be food. I've not seen godparents involved before.

Baptists aren't really that organized.



Well we usually have one person that brings fried chicken....and 8 that bring pie. :D now I'm hungry

[Abbadon]

Usually had three people bring deviled eggs, two really good, one that was ok (I dunno that I've ever had bad deviled eggs before). 3/4s of the desserts would be store bought. There were always one or two casseroles I wasn't going to try (and I've eaten vending machine egg salad sandwiches a week past their expiration date). Naturally, there'd be fried chicken. I think the last time my dad made rolls was at some church gathering... I need to get him to do that.


----------------------

Dinkime, when's the baby shindig?

[dinkime]

Dinkime, when's the baby shindig?


not sure...i don't even think she has decided about a church yet!:doh: